senator begich raised one of the issues i was going to. had a airport thadid the right thin relied upon tsa assertions if you upgrade next genetion security facilities during the middle of remoling effort that makes goodusins sense and then when they came to get reimbursed those dollars hav't been there so i look forward to hearing the same kind of response, as well. d this is probably one of imagine i got colleags on the her side of the ais that have this same issue. let me also reassert what i think t chairman has mentioned and i think all of our colleagues believe. your number one job to me sure that your tsa employees ensure the safety of the holand, thsafety of our traveling public, both domtic and foreign, and clearly my conversations with you in reviewing your background, you've got tt expertise. >> thank you, setor. >> but do believe there's another piece and raised it yesterda i want to take another moment it, and that is you've got cse to --ou'll have close to 50,000 employees and in many ways this is the -- these employees are t

. -- senator mark begich of alaska. he along with 22 other senators talked about energy and climate legislation and what is next. the associated press is reporting that west virginia governor does not expect to start searching for a successor for u.s. senator robert byrd until after the longest serving senator in history is laid to rest next week. senator byrd will be lying in the senate beginning on thursday from around 10:15 a.m. eastern time until 3:45 p.m. eastern time. thursday, the capitol ceremony that has not occurred for more than 50 years, will be happening. his relatives will receive members of congress until noon and the public galleries will be open to those who have passes. it prayer will be at 10:30 a.m. he died at age 92. he will be flown to charleston, west virginia, and taken to the robert byrd courthouse. the procession will end at the west virginia capital with a public viewing on thursday and next tuesday a public funeral at memorial baptist church in arlington, west virginia, followed by a private

. >> -- to gives a very short comment and senator begich, make a short comment then we'll g to you. >hank you, mr. chairman. it's not very, veryhort but it iseablyrief by senatorial standards. >> this is a bad begiing. >> by house sndards over here. >> the one nute. >> mr. pistole, goodo see you again. ank you for many cld g by my office. i enjoyed our conversatn and i believe you are well qualified fothis position. want to make the same point to you that i've made tother nominees that the ability of tsa toe ae to quickly rpond to threats isssential toir effectiveness. abandoning the current policy that prohibits collective bargaining by transportatn secuty officers will significantlyundermine tsa's ity toespond to threa and proct the nation and it's a chge that hope you will counsel the president against. i implore you topproach every policyssue at tsa wh a simple qution, what will this do to improve securi? and we all know the predent s made political promise to the unions in return for their supporto force collective bargaini over 50,000 transportation security office. but your pmi